Target



Oct. 26, 1937. w, WA H 2,097,408

' TARGET Filed April 29, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 26, 1937. w. A. WALTHERS TARGET 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1936 Oct. 26, 1937. w, WA T E 2,097,408

TARGET Filed April 29, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet- 3 Gu w Oct. 26, 1937.

W. A. WALTHERS TARGET Filed April 29, 1936 5 Sheets-$heet 4 Oct. 26, 1937. w, A, WALTHERS 2,097Q408 TARGE T Filed April 29, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 WA W/o/ffiens,

Patented Oct. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TARGET William A. Walthers, Dalton, Wis. Application April 29, 193 SerialNo. 77,066

5 Claims. (01. 273-1021) This invention relates to improvements in targets and more especially to a novel self-indieating indoor or outdoor target.

The primary purpose of the invention is to provide a self-indicating target including cooperating mechanical elements adapted to be actuated by the force of bullets to indicate the accuracy of the shot as well as the point where the bullet hit on a particular part of any ring of the target.

Another object is to supply a self-indicating target in which the parts are so constructed and arranged as not to bind in action.

A still further object is to furnish a self-indicating target in which the impacts of the bullets will be cushioned to prevent breakage of the parts.

A further object is to provide the front wall of such a target with means for catching lead and wild shots for safety purposes.

Another object is to supply a target of this type having cooperating mechanical elements which may be readily assembled or dismantled.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consistsin the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved target.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same partly in elevation, the section being takenon the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is another transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a detail taken on the line 5--5'of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of certain details taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view of these details.

Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are front elevations respectively of levers or jacks employed to operate indicating, flags of the mechanism. 7

Fig. 12 is an elevation of a pawl employed for temporarily holding anyof said flags in indicating position.

Fig. 13 is a plan view ofa lever used for holding the pawl normally in inactive position.

Referring to the drawings, l designates the bulls-eye section of the target whichis carried by an axially movable, centrally disposedphorizontal guide rod 2. The ring sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the target are of successively largerdiameters and arranged rearwardly of the section I, and each ring is carried by four horizontal guide rods arranged in cross formation and numbered respectively 3a, 4a, 5a, and 6a.. The last-mentioned guide rods are connected to the ring sections by universal joints 3 to allow each ring element or section to tilt or incline when struck by a bullet. All of the guide rods pass through holes 8a in the front wall 8 of the housing 9, and this wall is preferably made of steel in order to protect V the mechanism arranged at its rear.

The guide rods areprovided' respectively with annular flanges, elements, or abutments 2b, 3b, 4b; 5b and 6b, and the holes in the front wallare sufficiently large to enable these flanges to pass through when the rods are inserted from the front thereof.

The rods are guided at their front end portions 1 by an assembly ID made'upof four angular elements l I (Fig. 5) provided with specially shaped notches [2. When the elements I! are, infas-I sembled relation they form rearwardlvflared apertures l3 (Fig- 2)' to guide the rods and to allow'slight wobbling movement of all the rods except the rod 2 to accommodate the tilting of the rings. The angular'members H are secured in place by a clamping frame l4 which is held in position on the front wall of the casing by any suitable means such as screws 15. The clamping member carries a forwardly extending tube [6 which surrounds the rod 2. The rings 3 to 6 inclusive have a larger inside diameter than the outside diameter of the tube 16 to permit tilting of the rings.

A funnel-shaped lead catcher ll flaring rearj wardly, surrounols the target sections and a cylindrical ring l8 surrounds the lead catcher and projects forwardly from the casing. It functions as a wild shot catcher I9.

For the purpose of indicating whether the with forwardly and laterally extending arms 2e, 3e, 4e, 5e and 6e which respectively actuate vertical push rods 21, 3f, 4;, 51 and 6]. These rods are arranged in a Vertical plane extending longitudinally of the target and they are guided (Fig. 3) by upper and lower brackets 22 and 23, each rod being provided with one or more abutments 24 designed to engage one of the brackets to prevent the push rod from rising too high.

In the detail view (Fig. 11) of the lever 20, it will be noted that it has an aperture 21c to accommodate the rod 2, and a slot 2m to accommodate the four lowermost guide rods of the series. The lever 30 (Fig. 10) arranged behind the lever 26, has an aperture 37c to accommodate the guide rod 2; apertures 3m to accommodate the guide rods 3a; and a vertical slot 3n to form a passageway for the three lowermost guide rods of the series. Lever 40 (Fig. 9) has an aperture 4k forming a passageway for the rods 2 and 3a, and it also has four apertures 4m to accommodate the guide rods 4a. A slot 411. permits the two lowermost guide rods 5a. and 5b to pass through this lever. Lever 56 (Fig. 8) has a large aperture 570 to accommodate the rods 2, 3a and 4a, and it also has other apertures 5m to receive the rods 5a,. A hole 5n at the lower end of this lever permits the passage of the lowermost one of the rods 60.. Lever 60 (Fig. 6) has a larger aperture 670 to accommodate the rods 2, 3a., 4a and 5a, and it also has holes in to receive the rods 6a.

The push rods 2], 3f, 4 5 and Ef abut respectively at their upper ends (Fig. 2) against hit indicating members or disks 2g, 3g, 4g, 5g and to, which are normally concealed behind the wall 8. All the indicators are spaced apart and mounted respectively on a horizontal axle 25 which extends longitudinally of the casing and is mounted on the rear of the front wall of the same. Obviously these indicators may be of diiferent colors or marked in some distinctive way to indicate from a distance whether the bulls-eye or one or the other of the rings were struck by the bullet. From the foregoing it will be understood that if the bulls-eye l is struck, its rod 2 will be moved rearwardly and this will cause the abutment 2b to move the lever 20 rearwardly. As the arm 2c of that lever is thus thrown upwardly, it will raise the push rod 2j and it in turn will throw the corresponding indicator 2g upwardly.

Likewise with any one of the ring sections, if it is struck, its abutment will operate the corresponding lever, which will throw up the proper push rod and move the corresponding disk into indicating position.

For the purpose of temporarily holding any one of the indicating discs in raised or indicating position, each indicator has a series of ratchet teeth 26 (Fig. 3) that cooperate with a pawl 21, normally positioned out of the path of'movement of the teeth. The pawl is pivotally mounted on a pin 28 secured to the rear of the front wall 8 of the target and it is controlled in the following way. The rear ends of the guide rods 3a to 60. inclusive (Fig. 2), and an abutment 2w on the rod 2, are arranged to abut against the board portion 29 of a cushioning lever 39 pivotally mounted at 3| on the internal frame. An arm 32 extends forwardly from this lever and is provided with a cup 33 to receive a ball weight 34. This weight normally rests in the ring portion 35 (Fig. 13) of a lever 36 pivotally mounted at its rear end 31 and connected at its forward end 38 to the lower end of a link 39. The upper end of this link (Fig. 3) is connected to a bell crank lever 4!] pivotally mounted at 4| on the rear of the wall 8. Another link 42 connects the bell crank lever to the pawl 27, and it will be understood that each time the lever 36 is actuated, the ball weight 34 will be thrown upwardly, and as this relieves the lever 36 of the weight of the ball, a spring 43 connected to the pawl 2'! can pull the latter into position to engage the teeth 26 of any one of the indicators. The head 21a (Fig. 12) of the pawl is elongated for this purpose.

The weight ball is arranged to travel in a runway consisting of a vertical chute 3411, a rearwardly and downwardly inclined portion 34b and a forwardly and downwardly inclined portion 340, and when the ball is thrown upwardly, it will pass over the barrier 34d within the runway and will then roll first backwardly and then forwardly until it drops into the chute 34a. When it does this it will engage the lever 36 and as the weight 34 exerts greater force than the spring .43, the

pawl 21 will be swung in a counter-clockwise direction, thereby disengaging the teeth 26 and allowing the indicator which has been temporarily held in raised position to drop back into normal position behind the wall 8.

In order to cushion the movement of the board portion 29 of the lever 34, this portion is of about the same shape in outline as the interior of a box 44 arranged on the internal wall 2| and consequently a cushion of air will form within the chamber 45. For further dampening purposes, the box may be mounted on the wall 2! by means of threaded bolts 46 having nuts 41, which are used to adjust coil springs 48 positioned on the bolts.

The various levers heretofore mentioned are preferably provided with springs 49 for returning them to normal position.

It will be understood from the above description that immediately after the bulls eye or any one of the rings of the target is struck, the corresponding indicator will be thrown upwardly and at the same time the lever 30 will act to throw the weight ball 34 upwardly to release the pawl 21 so that the spring 43 can swing it in a clockwise direction into engaging position. However, as soon as the ball has traveled through its runway, it will drop on to the lever 36 and this will result in releasing the pawl from the teeth'26 so that the indicator may drop back into the normal position.

For the purpose of indicating whether the target has been struck high or at one side or the other, the uppermost guide rods (Fig. 2) of the rings 3, 4, 5, and 6 are provided with abutment collars or elements 3h, 4h, 5h and 6h respectively, and these rods pass through holes in the upper end portion of a lever 50, (Fig. 4) which is pivotally mounted on a horizontal pin 5| and has a. slot 52 to accommodate the lowermost guide rods of these rings as well as the rod 2. Should any one of the rings be struck high it will be tilted about the universal joint near the lower end of the same and its uppermost rod in moving axially rearwardly will actuate the lever 50 through the instrumentality of its abutment (3h, 4h, 572. and 6h) The lever has a forwardly and laterally extending arm 53. (Fi 3) which actuates another substantially vertical push rod 54 guided by bearings 55 mounted on the rear of the wall 8. The

push rod actuates an upper high shot indicator 56 that is pivotally mounted at 51 on the rear of the wall 8. A weight arm 58 on this indicator normally holds the same in concealed position and in contact with a stop pin 59.

An abutment collar 60 on the push rod 54 cooperates with one of the bearings 55 and limits upward movement of this push rod.

In operation let us assume for example that the ring 4 is struck high. Its upper portion will move rearwardly and force the rod l-a axially backward. The abutment collar 472, of this rod will move the lever 52 rearwardly and cause its arm 53 to rise and actuate the push rod 54 which in turn will operate the indicator 56.

To take care of shots impinging against one side or the other of the rings, the guide rods 3a, 4a,, 5a and 6a at the right-hand side of the vertical central plane of the target are also provided with abutments similar to the abutments 371., Ah, 5h and (in, and they cooperate with a lever 6| (Fig. 4) having a horizontal series of holes 62 to accommodate these particular guide rods. This lever also has a forwardly and laterally extending arm 63 (Fig. 3) which engages and'operates an arm 64 projecting from a normally concealed indicating flag 65 which is pivotally mounted at 66 on the right-hand portion of the rear side of the wall 8. After this flag has been actuated, a spring 61 returns it to normal concealed position.

Another lever 68 (Fig. 4) which is also mounted on the pivot pin 5!, is provided with a horizontal series of holes 69 to accommodate the lefthand ones of the guide rods of the rings 3, 4, 5 and 5, and these guide rods have abutment collars similar to the collars 3h, 4h, 5h and th to actuate the lever 68 when the left side of any one of these rings is struck. This lever also has a forwardly and laterally extending arm Ill (Fig. 3) which cooperates with the arm H of a normally concealed left-hand hit indicating flag 12 pivotally mounted at 13 on the rear of the lefthand side of the wall 8, and normally held in concealed position by a spring 14.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be clear that the impact of a bullet on the target causes indication of the particular point of impact. Of course, if either one of the rings is struck low, there will be no actual indication of this by means of flags or the like, but the failure What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. In a target, a casing having a front wall, a substantially cone-shaped lead catcher projecting forwardly from the wall and having its base connected to the latter, target sections positioned within the lead catcher, and a substantially cylin-, drical wild shot catcher ring surrounding said catcher.

2. A self-indicating target comprising target sections, guide rods carrying said sections, slidable mounts for said rods, indicating means actuated by said rods, a movable backstop for the rear ends of the rods and an air cushion chamber of which the backstop forms the front wall.

3. A self-indicating target comprising a pivotally mounted indicating disc provided with ratchet teeth, a pawl cooperating with the teeth for temporarily holding the disc in indicating position, means for moving the pawl toward said teeth, means for normally holding the paWl in a position out of the path of movement of the teeth, the last mentioned means including a lever and cooperating weighted ball, and means actuated by a shot striking the target for forcing the ball out of contact with the lever to allowthe pawl to move into position to engage said teeth.

4. A self indicating target comprising a pivotally mounted indicating disc provided with ratchet teeth, a pawl cooperating with the teeth for temporarily holding the disc in indicating position, means for moving the pawl toward said teeth, means for normally holding the pawl in a position out of the path of movement of the teeth, the last mentioned means including a pivotally mounted lever, a link connected to the free end of said lever and joining the latter to said pawl, said lever being provided with a pocket at its free end, a weighted ball normally resting in said pocket, and means actuated by a shot striking the target for forcing the ball out of said pocket to allow the pawl to move into position to engage said teeth.

5. A self indicating target comprising a piv-' otally mounted indicating disc provided with ratchet teeth, a pawl'cooperating with the teeth for temporarily holding the disc in indicating position, means for moving the pawl toward said teeth, meansfor normally holding the pawl in a position out of the path of movement of the teeth,

said last mentioned means including a pivotally 

